Council highlights work opportunities for young people with special needs

A scrutiny panel is being told that young people with special needs are getting a helping hand to prepare for work.

A wide range of initiatives are going on in Plymouth across the city to give young people a taste for work and special attention is being given to those who have disabilities and need appropriate opportunities.

A city wide review was carried out after the Growth and Prosperity Overview and Scrutiny Panel highlighted a gap in information about efforts made to support young people with special educational needs.

Now a report has been put together to give a snapshot of what projects are running and the impact they are having.

Council Leader, Councillor Tudor Evans, said: “The panel were absolutely right to spot that there wasn’t enough information about young people with special educational needs when they last looked at the issue of youth unemployment. This report shows the variety of programmes that exist here in Plymouth for young people who may find employment more of a challenge because of additional needs.

“We have many partners here in Plymouth doing a sterling job, providing specialist care and support for young people as they move from the world of school to the world of work. Their care and commitment is making a lasting difference to young people.”

Some of the projects highlighted include:

• Project Search delivered by Plymouth Hospitals National Health Service Trust, City College Plymouth, Serco and Pluss. It has 10 internships a year for young people with a learning disability with Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust. Interns work in orthopaedics, theatres, x-ray, radiology, administration and Serco supported by a coach. They study onsite and aim to gain work within the trust or elsewhere.

• Achievement Pluss is part of the Raising the Participation Age for young people who want work experience and to improve their skills. It aims to ‘equip them with the necessary means to find paid employment’. Learners have progressed well with their skills in English and maths improving and their self-confidence and worth. Work placements included hairdressing, car mechanics/valeting and commercial cleaning. All are now in paid employment or apprenticeships.

• Autism Spectrum Disorder Provision is a package for young people with autism to support them into mainstream education or work. Run by City College Plymouth with support from Michael Batt Foundation, four young people currently have intensive support from specially trained staff with skills and vocational training. The course will have eight young people this Autumn.

• Effective Transition into employment from age 14 to 19. All schools have to complete person-centred plans to promote the young person’s aspirations which now include employment, training or apprenticeships.

• Pluss is working on a family-led jobs project with 10 families, through customised employment planning. This supported employment uses ‘discovery’ as a means of finding out about the individual with a learning disability and their aspirations, interests, skills and support needs.

Elsewhere in the city, the Council’s apprenticeship coordinator is also encouraging more placements for people with learning difficulties. Other work includes an analysis of data from local colleges to record if adults with autism are translating their qualifications into employment.

The Council is urging all providers of skills and post 16 training to make sure the needs of all young people are met and it is currently putting together a skills plan for a comprehensive city-wide skills and employment initiative.

Following discussions with stakeholders it has been recommended that a city-wide review of special educational needs and learners with learning difficulties is carried out through a task group, to include Pluss, the Council, secondary and special schools and college representation. Youth unemployment is a cross cutting priority, so this focused work and its impact will be reported to both the Plymouth Growth and Health and Wellbeing Boards.

The city’s unemployment rate has fallen each month since February, signalling an improvement in the labour market. In July, there were 5,233 people on unemployment-related benefits in Plymouth, 3.1 per cent of the working age population compared to a national rate of 3.5 per cent. Youth unemployment is also falling but is 31 per cent here instead of 28 per cent nationally.

More information about the latest developments on all the many initiatives, including 1000 Club, Whiz Kids and the Plymouth Apprenticeship Company read the report here.